1 up this:

You open the door to your home after a long last day of school. You place your backpack in you bedroom. Landing with a soft thud. You know that things are changing, you know that next year will just mean more stress and more anguish. More things to worry about.

You boot up your laptop. The soft hum fills the noiseless room. Gazing outside you realise the summer haze has faded into grey clouds. Soon enough, it grows into a drizzle.

Drip, Drip.

You think about next year. You think about college, and jobs and hopes and dreams. You think about grades and schools and friends. You think about everyone and everything.

Then Sweeden starts playing.

You ponder the memories of a simpler time. When your biggest worry was whether you got 1 or 2 cookies for snack.

You remember getting a gift card for the game on your birthday after pleading your mom to get it for you. You remember your first house, made from planks and cobblestone. You were so proud. It may have been a box shaped shack with a doorway, but it was your house and you showed it to everyone you could. You remember finding your first diamond vein and being filled with joy. Running around the house showing off your new diamond sword. You remember playing LAN with your older brother, who is now in college, and you remember getting angry when he accidentally killed your dog.

Drop, Drop

The drops are getting heavier outside.

You remember the old server your best friend used to have. You remember the roller coaster that you built around the castle you built. (using a step by step tutorial) You remember killing the ender dragon and celebrating with your friends by building a shrine.

You remember it all.

You press “create a new world”.

You look at the familiar terrain and suddenly you are a feel it again. The pixelated livestock dotting the landscape. You inhale. The smell of chocolate chip cookies and milk surrounds you. The sound of laughter and giggles surround your ears as you fall into the dream of game.

No longer do you care about education and grades and homework and social life and stress, you just need to build a house and maybe get a small farm. You could get a dog or maybe a cat. You could journey the Nether or fight a dragon, but right now you just want to build a castle, or a mansion, or even just a shack. You just want to be free from all the bad thoughts and feelings and hate. From the pressure and wars and politics.

You just want craft.

When you dream and build and craft in the dream of the game, and you become a kid once more.